


Spring Shedding and Shared Songs

by Kalira



Category: Naruto
Genre: (Ish) - Freeform, Community: trope_bingo, Cuddling & Snuggling, Family, Fluff, Fur, Gen, Hair Brushing, Howling, M/M, Orochimaru is Kakashi's Mama, Podfic Available, Trope Bingo Round 14, Wolf Hatake Kakashi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-10
Updated: 2020-02-10
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:53:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22658857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalira/pseuds/Kalira
Summary: A spring day enjoyed by a happy pack, following into an exhilarating night under the shining moon.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi & Orochimaru, Hatake Sakumo/Orochimaru
Comments: 12
Kudos: 296
Collections: The Kakashi Lounge, Trope Bingo Round 14, Trope Bingo: Round Fourteen





	Spring Shedding and Shared Songs

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this bit of fluff today after receiving [this ask](https://kalira.tumblr.com/post/190764811809/i-refuse-to-believe-that-you-did-not-see-that), referencing [this video](https://kalira.tumblr.com/post/190668518556/the-pause-in-howling-to-sneeze-from-getting-fur-in).
> 
> I also had in mind the 'Moon' milestone prompt for [The Kakashi Lounge](https://the-kakashi-lounge-blog.tumblr.com/) once again. . .
> 
> Plus, marking off the space 'kid fic' on my [Trope Bingo board](https://kalira.dreamwidth.org/24550.html)!
> 
> This work now has a podfic, read by me, available [here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26300545)!

“Kakashi! Come back here!” Mama laughed as he said it, but he was using his _I mean it_ voice all the same, so Kakashi turned immediately and bounded back to him. Mama shook his head and rested a hand on Kakashi’s shoulder just by his scruff. “You still need brushing, you little mad thing.”

Kakashi barked a laugh, stretching his front legs out on the ground as he bowed low, tail swishing above him. Mama pulled it, and Kakashi yipped, startled.

“Behave.” Mama crooked his fingers and Kakashi bounced back up on his paws and stayed put. “You are _shedding_ , doesn’t it itch?” he asked, ruffling Kakashi’s fur with his fingers and beginning to brush.

Kakashi twitched under the brush and the itchy, _itchy_ feeling of all the shed fur that had nowhere to go, stuck in his coat, or hadn’t come loose at all yet. He whined.

“Then let me help.” Mama soothed, rubbing his side and brushing firmly over his ribs.

Kakashi wriggled a little but remained there by Mama as he steadily brushed away gobs of fur, toes flexing in the dirt. Kakashi watched the tufts drift away on the light breeze as Mama got them out of his coat. He whined and wriggled a little more, looking up. Dad was supposed to be home today and Mama had said they could go meet him at the gate and-

Kakashi whined and ducked a little, then barked, craning his neck to look at Mama. What if they _missed_ meeting Dad at the gate?

“What is it?” Mama asked, tilting his head, brows raised.

Kakashi bounded away and barked again, then leapt up onto the engawa - he paused, rubbing his itchy shoulder on one of the pillars - and trotted to the door, then back to the edge. He barked and laid down on the wood, whining.

“Your father will be back today, ye-”

Kakashi barked and drew it out into a yowl, bouncing to his paws again. He jumped off the engawa and trotted around Mama, catching Mama’s sleeve in his teeth and tugging.

“What do you want, cubling?” Mama asked, gesturing with the brush. “You’re not even half done!”

Kakashi huffed and wriggled and barked again. _Dad._ He howled as though Dad might hear him, then perked even as he fell silent. Dad _might_ hear Kakashi if he howled, Dad was coming back today!

“All right, all right, come along.” Mama said, tsking a little and grinning at Kakashi. “Impatient cubling. We’ll go wait for your father at the gates, shall we?”

Kakashi barked happily, bouncing after Mama as he stepped up onto the engawa and passed through the house.

“And you’ll sit still for brushing while we wait!”

* * *

Obito paused, hyperaware of the chicken in his hands - which was not entirely happy to be there, squirming and clucking, but at least had only _lightly_ pecked him a few times; he was a ninja, he could take it. He winced as it pecked again and got his thumb, which hurt rather badly.

He watched Kakashi’s mother walk by - not with Kakashi, though, today. Obito would have only waved - if he had a hand free - and continued on his way - he wasn’t even entirely sure Kakashi’s mother knew who he _was_ , really; Kakashi’s mother was a _great ninja_ , just like his father, and they hadn’t really been introduced - but. . .

There was a fluffy white dog - a puppy, though it was pretty big - trotting alongside Orochimaru, who watched with a smile as he gambolled about and returned to Orochimaru’s side again and again.

Obito frowned a little, curious. He’d never seen Kakashi with a puppy before. . . Maybe it was a new pet. . .

The dog barked and ran up to him and the chicken all but _screeched_ in his hands. Obito tightened his grip. “Hi!” he greeted, struggling with the chicken.

The dog barked back at him, tail wagging.

“Hello, Obito-kun.” Kakashi’s mother said, and Obito looked up, wide-eyed, and stammered out a response. Kakashi’s mother knew who he was? He didn’t catch whatever else Kakashi’s mother said, and winced at his own lack of attention, but Orochimaru was walking away, the puppy trotting happily at his side once more, tail still wagging.

The chicken pecked Obito again and he stifled a yelp and hurried on, feeling blood dripping up his thumb.

* * *

Orochimaru let Kakashi run about the gate plaza for a few minutes before calling him back, reminding him of the brushing he still so desperately needed. Kakashi whined and sulked a little as he made his way back, but he knew he needed it as well. Spring had him rapidly blowing his thick winter coat, risking mats as well as being uncomfortable. Kakashi settled quickly as Orochimaru began again, rubbing into the brush and chattering to Orochimaru in quiet whines and yips.

Orochimaru ruffled his fur and pulled out a thick, loose tuft, then paused to examine the brush; it needed cleaning, fur gathered thickly in the bristles. Kakashi whined impatiently, rubbing against his legs, and Orochimaru laughed. “We’ll get there, cubling.” he soothed, and rubbed behind Kakashi’s ear.

Kakashi grinned at him, tongue lolling out for a moment and tail wagging, then looked towards the gate as someone approached. Orochimaru patted him. “Go on if you wish.” he said after inspecting the ninja coming in, and Kakashi bounded off towards the approaching Inuzuka and her dog.

Orochimaru kept an eye on them as he pulled fur from the brush and flicked it away to let it float off. The Inuzuka stopped to chat with the gate chuunin, and her dog snuffled at Kakashi and put up with being almost jumped on as Kakashi returned the curious inspection.

Kakashi barked as he backed away a bit again, and the dog wagged his tail and dropped down into a play pose. Orochimaru waited with the brush in his lap as Kakashi barked again and leapt at the dog, instigating a tussle. The dog was gentle with Kakashi, not that Orochimaru had been worried - the Inuzuka dogs and their children played together from the time they were mobile - and they played for a short time, until Kakashi bounded away again. Kakashi ran off to inspect the ground nearer the gates, and the Inuzuka called her dog, heading into the village.

Orochimaru held out a hand as Kakashi lifted his head again, and Kakashi raced back eagerly, jaw open in a happy grin.

Orochimaru smiled at him and scratched gently at the fluff by his jaw before beginning to brush down his side again. Kakashi stood still, save for the occasional small wriggle and the flicking of his ears. He wagged his tail and Orochimaru tugged it teasingly. Kakashi nipped his wrist in return, whining playfully, and Orochimaru smiled, rubbing the underside of his muzzle.

Another few long strokes and Orochimaru nudged his cubling around to get to his other side. Kakashi obliged easily, shaking himself and then stilling once more, looking across the plaza curiously.

On the untouched territory of Kakashi’s right side the brush had soon picked up enough fur to be clogged and useless, and Orochimaru let his son loose to run a little more as he cleared the bristles again. He called out warningly when Kakashi strayed out past the gates, and Kakashi came back a short ways - back inside them, at least - then sat down and tilted his head up, howling.

Orochimaru smiled slightly, glancing at the gate chuunin. They were watching his son with some alarm, not surprisingly. He snorted.

Kakashi trailed off far sooner than his father would have, but stretched out the howl as far as his little lungs could take. He heaved a new breath, and Orochimaru called to him before he could start up again.

Kakashi huffed, but trotted back to his side and submitted to more brushing. After a few minutes, he started to howl again, though quieter this time, and he fidgeted under Orochimaru’s hands. He shook his head but didn’t try to quiet Kakashi, who huffed and howled and wriggled under the brush, though without trying to get away.

A tuft of fur drifted over Kakashi’s head as he lifted his muzzle higher only for it to get stuck on his nose. Kakashi drew out his warbling howl as he swung his head back and forth a little, then huffed as it ended, but the fluff clung there stubbornly.

He huffed again, then sneezed, and Orochimaru stifled a laugh.

Kakashi looked around at him with a yowling, sulky protest as the fluffy bundle of fur finally drifted away, and Orochimaru rubbed his shoulder up towards his neck soothingly. Kakashi wriggled under his hand and howled again, louder.

This time there was an answering howl from quite some distance further off, and Orochimaru’s hands stilled as he raised his head.

Kakashi was gone from under his hands in half a breath, and Orochimaru shook his head, rising and dusting fur off himself, watching his son carefully. Kakashi skidded to a stop just beyond the gates - just shy of where Orochimaru had called him back from earlier - and howled again. Orochimaru rather suspected, watching his body shake with it, that he was pushing himself to get it as loud as he could possibly manage.

Sakumo’s powerful voice answered again, closer this time. Orochimaru wasn’t surprised when he soon came into view, running flat-out up the road.

Orochimaru smiled, walking towards the gate at a much slower pace as Kakashi burst into a run towards his father. Sakumo laughed as he went to his knees, catching Kakashi in his arms, a mess of fur and wagging tail and happy yowls mingling with Sakumo’s own greetings. Orochimaru joined them slowly, though he still reached them before the rest of Sakumo’s team finally caught up.

Sakumo rose, Kakashi caught, wriggling, in the grip of one arm, and snagged Orochimaru close with the other. He laughed and leaned in willingly, reaching out to support Kakashi when he started to slide, and offering a soft kiss to his mate in greeting. Sakumo rumbled happily and nuzzled him, hugging Orochimaru and Kakashi both tighter.

“Waiting for me?” Sakumo asked as his teammates finally appeared, and Kakashi yipped, wriggling again, paws scratching against Sakumo’s vest.

Orochimaru hummed. “He was very eager.” he said softly, running a hand over Kakashi’s head before he stepped back. “And fluffy.” he added wryly, holding up the brush in his other hand. Sakumo grinned, and Orochimaru shook his head slightly, amused.

Sakumo was probably very fluffy as well, given the season, and Orochimaru guessed his brush would be seeing a bit more use today.

* * *

Sakumo groaned happily, stretching slowly under his mate’s clever hands. Orochimaru’s fingers rubbed through his fur, loosening the shed tufts and easing the itches alongside strokes of the brush. Sakumo guessed that he was almost done - though Orochimaru had taken longer about the brushing than Sakumo would have thought _really_ necessary. He’d basked in the extra attention, enjoying the time under his mate’s hands after his mission.

Kakashi rolled in the grass nearby - he’d been playing while Orochimaru brushed Sakumo’s winter coat out, and he would need a bath rather badly by the time they went in, Sakumo thought. He lolled around, wriggling, then rolled over and trotted back to them, touching muzzles with Sakumo and whining softly. Sakumo nuzzled him in return, licking the top of his head, and Orochimaru hummed contentedly, scritching under Sakumo’s fur up towards his neck.

He shivered, bracing his legs as he wavered under the caress. Orochimaru laughed and then suddenly both of his mate’s hands were burrowing under his fur, playfully rough. Sakumo squirmed and yipped, sidling away.

Sakumo thumped sideways into Orochimaru’s legs and he let himself tumble down over Sakumo’s back with a laugh, sprawling on the grass with them only for Kakashi to immediately pounce on him. Sakumo barked a laugh and flopped down beside them, snug against Orochimaru’s side.

Kakashi yawned, then stretched his head up to nuzzle Sakumo, snuggling in where he lay on Orochimaru’s chest.

Sakumo tilted his head and returned the affectionate gesture, and Orochimaru stroked them both, lying cosily still on the grass. Sakumo sighed contentedly and put his head down to rest across his mate’s shoulder and collarbone, stretching a little.

Orochimaru buried one hand in Sakumo’s ruff, and he groaned, stretching out his legs and drawing a deep breath, letting it out slowly. He flicked an ear as Kakashi slid off of Orochimaru, getting up again and wandering a little further away.

Sakumo’s eyes were still closed when Kakashi let out a high, warbling howl. He raised his head and found that the moon had come out, shining down brightly in their garden, washing it in silver despite the few torches lit around them. Kakashi’s fur almost glowed in the light where he stood with his head tipped back, muzzle raised to point at the moon.

Sakumo shivered, his heart quickening, and Orochimaru tugged his head down, kissing the side of his muzzle. “Go on.” he said softly, and Sakumo nosed his mate’s cheek, licking his jaw before rising and leaping lightly over him, moving to join their cub.

Kakashi’s howl drew out as long as he could make it - longer and stronger all the time, Sakumo thought with mixed pride and wistfulness; their cub was growing up - before his jaws closed and he drew a quick breath. Sakumo nuzzled him and he grinned, panting a little, leaning into the touch.

Sakumo rumbled at Kakashi, then looked up to the moon himself. He felt the pull building in his chest, and drew a deep breath. He gave voice to his own howl, with a surge of joy as Kakashi’s cut in to join him.

When his breath began to run thin Sakumo dropped out and adjusted pitch, then howled again, and Kakashi followed suit a little quicker, building a many-toned song to the moon between the two of them.

Sakumo ended it when Kakashi’s howls began to grow shorter and quieter, weariness weakening his voice. He settled on the ground and pulled Kakashi down into him, nuzzling and licking affectionately as Kakashi sighed and stretched out in a weak flop against his side.

A moment later Orochimaru was there as well, lying across Sakumo’s shoulders and resting his forearm over Kakashi’s side. He wriggled into them both with a contented, sleepy whine, and Sakumo’s tail thumped the ground as he wagged it lazily.

Orochimaru rubbed Kakashi’s scruff and up towards his ears, and Kakashi yawned, wriggling a little closer and wagging his tail as their pack cuddled together under the soft, sharp light of the moon. Sakumo’s heart was light and warm, sharing the quiet night with his family.

“I think it’s time for a bath, then bed.” Orochimaru said softly after a time, pressing a kiss just below Sakumo’s ear. “Especially for our little cubling.”

Sakumo huffed a laugh and nosed Kakashi affectionately, waking him. He gave a soft yip, not lifting his head. It was very late, they had stayed out under the moon for quite some time.

“I think perhaps we will sleep in tomorrow.” Orochimaru said lazily as they pulled apart slowly, stretching, and Sakumo collected Kakashi by the scruff when he got up only to wobble on his paws. “All of us.”

Sakumo had no objections, rumbling happily as they headed back in together.


End file.
